Thanks, Doc
by candy-belle
Summary: Bruce isn't used to people saying thank you to him, and he certainly isn't used to anyone saying thank you to the Other Guy. Fic featuring Bruce Banner, Hulk, Clint Barton, Phil Coulson, Steve Rogers and Tony Stark plus blink & you'll miss it Clint/Coulson with friendship, fluff, passing angst, a slightly battered Hawkeye and one very flustered Bruce


**Title:** Thanks, Doc  
**Rating:** PG13  
**Summary:** Bruce isn't used to people saying thank you to him, and he certainly isn't used to anyone saying thank you to the Other Guy.  
**Featuring:** Bruce Banner, Hulk, Clint Barton, Phil Coulson, Steve Rogers and Tony Stark with blink & you'll miss it Clint/Coulson  
**Genre/warnings:** friendship, fluff, passing angst, a slightly battered Hawkeye and one very flustered Bruce  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters of Marvel Movies. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended and no money is being made.  
**Notes:** I love the relationship that the Hawkeye/Hulk share in the cartoons so I bought a little of that over into the movie universe as well. x Anyway, as always this is unbeta'd so any mistakes you find, please, please, please forgive (I mean it PLEASE!)

_**On to the story….**_

As the recovery teams swept past him, Steve only just stopped himself from giving a very unmanly squeak as the Hulk appeared in front of him. The big guy was roaring his head off about something apparently angrier than normal.

"Hulk!" ordered Steve trying to keep his voice level, "What's wrong?"

He didn't really expect an answer and so he was shocked when the Hulk turned to face him. The huge face was crumpled into something akin to distress and he appeared to be cradling something in his left arm. For a moment Steve couldn't see what it was, then an all too familiar arm guard caught his attention and he felt his breath catch. The Hulk was carrying an apparently unconscious Hawkeye.

"Broke!" roared Hulk, scowling at Steve as if it was his fault, "Cupid broke."

Steve blinked a few times then tapped his comm unit, "Guys I need help. Barton's down and Hulk has him…"

"What do you mean Hulk has him?" came the soft controlled tones of Coulson.

Steve screwed his eyes shut. He could hear the concern in Coulson's voice, even if the tone was barely different from the usual calm voice Coulson always used during a mission.

"I mean Hulk is carrying him. It's almost as if…"

"Fix him!" demanded Hulk prodding a finger at Steve, growling, "Fix Cupid."

"I will," replied Steve calmly swallowing down his fear as he watched the massive beast shake the unconscious Hawkeye around like a ragdoll, "I'll help but you need to put him down…"

Hulk roared at the suggestion, pulling Hawkeye to his chest and holding him with a possessiveness that surprised and slightly alarmed Steve.

"Rogers," called Coulson his voice only ever so slightly tighter than normal, "Situation report."

"Hulk is carrying an unconscious Barton," replied Steve, as he crouched to set his shield down knowing any form of weaponry upset the Hulk. Straightening he added, "I'm going to try and get him to hand Barton over and…"

"Be careful," ordered Coulson and Steve nodded even though the other man couldn't see him. He knew what Coulson was saying, he knew what he was asking to take care of. Taking a deep breath he stepped forward and, with his arms outstretched, he ordered, "Give me Barton," he saw the flash of confusion on Hulk's face and corrected, "Hulk, give me Cupid. I can't help him while you're still holding him."

Hulk glared at him and actually shied away, twisting his massive body slightly as if to shield Hawkeye from Steve's reach.

"Mine," barked Hulk, "Cupid mine."

"I think you'll find he belongs to Coulson," called Tony unhelpfully as he swept into view. He came to a hover beside Steve and dropping his voice so only Cap could hear him, he asked, "So umm any reason why the big green rage machine has hold of Legolas?"

"None whatsoever," replied Steve, not taking his eyes off Hulk, "And I'm not sure how to get him to let go either." he took another step toward which resulted in Hulk taking a few steps back, growling like an unhappy dog.

Huffing under his breath Steve looked up at the largest member of his team and, against his better judgment, he ordered firmly, "Hulk – drop!"

x

"Oh god did I do that?"

Coulson turned and looked at the slight figure in the doorway. Bruce stared back at him, regret and shame warring for dominance in the quiet doctor's eyes.

"Those bruises, around his chest," clarified Bruce, his eyes fixed on the figure in the bed, "Did I cause those?"

"No," replied Coulson, gently pulling Clint's hospital gown closed, hiding the offending bruises from sight, "The Other Guy did when he rescued Clint. I think a few broken ribs are a fair exchange for being saved.

"I'm so sorry," murmured Bruce, running a hand thought the messy curls, looking absolutely mortified.

"For what?" asked Coulson, tilting his head slightly and regarding the doctor with something akin to confusion.

"For hurting him," breathed Bruce, "I never meant to. I...I always hurt people I like I…"

"With all due respect, Dr Banner," interrupted Coulson softly, "Far from hurting him the Other Guy saved him. Without the Hulk's intervention we'd be looking at a body bag right now," his voice wavered ever so slightly but he carried on, "Clint would be dead and we would be a team member down."

Bruce paled at his words and fumbling with his glasses, he stammered, "God when you say it like that I…"he squeezed his eyes shut before murmured, "I don't why but the other guy seems very fond of Hawkeye. He…he considers him a friend and I….I don't know why."

Coulson regarded him a moment then bowing his head slightly he gave Bruce a strange look before confiding, "Well I know Hawkeye is very fond of the Other Guy and I know too he's fond of you as well, Dr Banner. He's…"

"Hey guys," they both turned back to the bed and saw Clint blinking at them, a slightly crooked smirk gracing his bruised and bloodied face, "What are we discussing?"

"You," replied Coulson his face lighting up with relief at the sight of Clint awake. Within seconds he was at Clint's his side, smiling warmly as he ran his eyes over his specialists bruised face.

"Welcome back," he murmured absently reaching for and gripping Clint's right hand

"Good to see you too, Boss," replied Clint just as warmly. He squeezed Coulson's hand, their fingers linking together for a few moments. It was such an intimate movement, Bruce couldn't help the blush that appeared on his face. Catching sight of the blush, Clint gave a rasping laugh that ended in a cough and when he caught his breath, he asked grumpily, "What the hell happened to me? My chest is killing me."

"The building you were on collapsed," explained Coulson, reluctantly pulling his hand back before adding drying, "Again. You were in free-fall but the Hulk managed to catch you before you hit the pavement.

"Hey cool," coughed Clint trying to sit up despite the searing pain, "Jade Jaw saved me." He looked over at Bruce and gave him a lopsided grin calling, "Hey Doc, since you'll speak to the Other Guy before me say thanks would you."

"For what?" asked Bruce horrified, "For breaking your ribs? For nearly paralysing you when he tossed you around. I…"

"For saving my life and stopping me from becoming a side-walk pancake," corrected Clint. He gave a loud grunt of pain but continued to swing his legs off the bed, ignoring Coulson's huff as he did, "I owe the big lump my life," he paused then with a wicked grin he looked up and added, "which means I owe you as well, of course."

Bruce just stared at him in amazement. Clint grunted with the exertion of standing up and had to grab hold of Coulson's shoulder to steady himself. Curling an arm around his middle he took a shallow breath then flicking his gaze up at the still stunned Doctor he asked, "You okay? You look kind of in shock."

"I am," murmured Bruce staring at Clint as if he'd never seen him before, "I...no one I…no one has ever thanked me, or rather him before."

"Yeah well if he keeps saving my life like that," chuckled Clint, pulling out the drip that was currently attached to the back of his right hand much to the audible annoyance of Coulson, "I'm not only going to say thank you I'm gonna take him out for a beer. Several beers in fact and…"

"You do know you're not medically cleared to be moving?" asked Coulson with a slight note of resignation in his voice.

"Really?" grinned Clint, "Cause the way I see it I'm awake, I'm alive and I am so not staying in here to be poked by white-coats. No offence, Doc," he added as an afterthought offering Bruce a warm smile.

"Good job I bought these then," replied Coulson straight faced, holding out a pair of black combats and a black shirt.

Clint grinned at him and giving his handler a knowing wink, he snatched the clothes and chucked them onto the end of the creaky hospital bed. Moving slower than normal, he quickly divested himself of anything medical and got dressed, not caring about the impromptu strip show he was giving the other two men in the room with him.

Wobbling slightly, he took the arm Coulson offered him. Leaning heavily on his handler's arm, he headed towards the door pausing as they drew level with Bruce. Holding the shy doctor's gaze, Clint smiled again and asked warmly, "You want to go get a drink with us now?"

"Clint," cautioned Coulson, certainly not tightening his grip around the specialist's waist or leaning in just a little closer than necessary to convince himself that Clint really was alive and well and staging yet another break out from yet another medical facility.

"I meant a coffee," corrected Clint resisting the urge to poke his tongue out at Coulson, "Or in your case, Doc, a green tea," he added remembering Bruce's preferred morning beverage.

Bruce stared at him a moment then flicked a glance at Coulson, who gave him a half shrugged as if to say "_just go with it_" before looking back at Clint. For several moments he was quiet then with a nervous smile he nodded his head and murmured, "I'd like that. Thank you."

"No," corrected Clint taking Bruce's other arm and letting the two men all but drag him out of the hated medical room, "Thank you from bottom of my battered but very grateful heart."

FIN x


End file.
